Detroit @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2014 ) Detroit 2, Cleveland 6

The Cleveland Indians aim for their first home sweep of the season - and an unlikely one - when they take on the Detroit Tigers in a Wednesday matinee. The last-place Indians had dropped four straight games prior to the set against the first-place Tigers, who had won 11 consecutive road games. However, Cleveland took an extra-inning victory in the opener before securing a 6-2 win Tuesday night behind the pitching of call-up Trevor Bauer.

Bauer, the organization's top pitching prospect, allowed two runs in six innings to outduel star Justin Verlander. In order to gain their first home sweep of the Tigers in nearly two years, the Indians will have to do so against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner in Max Scherzer. The right-hander is an astounding 37-6 since midway through the 2012 season.

TV: 12:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (6-1, 1.83 ERA) vs. Indians RH Zach McAllister (3-4, 5.36)

Three of Scherzer's last four outings have been of the scoreless variety, including a six-inning effort at Boston on Friday, when he yielded three hits and struck out seven. He has won six straight decisions overall and has produced 15 consecutive scoreless on the road. Scherzer was 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA against Cleveland last year but has a 4.44 mark in his career, his highest figure against an American League opponent aside from the Red Sox.

McAllister has allowed 13 earned runs in his last two starts, just one fewer than his first seven starts combined, a run that included six innings of one-run ball in a win at Detroit on April 16. The shortest outing of his career took place Friday against Oakland, which knocked out the 26-year-old out after just 1 1/3 innings and eight runs. McAllister had yielded only two earned runs in 20 1/3 innings at home this year prior to the meltdown versus the Athletics.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians 1B Nick Swisher is 6-for-16 with a triple, a double and three walks against Scherzer.

2. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera is batting .442 during his 11-game hitting streak.

3. McAllister has allowed 45 hits and 16 walks in 35 2/3 innings in his career against Detroit.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Indians 3